THE KING’S BUSINESS
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Saturday, March 23 . 2 Cor. 1 1 : 10 - 15 .
he again entreats them not to think him foolish in speaking so much in the way of magnifying himself. Ordinarily to speak much o f one’s self, or to say much that reflects honor upon one’s self, is an exceed ingly foolish thing to do, but there come times when it is necessary to refer to one’s authoritative position and gifts and o f the way in which God has used one. Such a time had come in the experience o f Paul. But even if they did think vhim foolish, he asked them to still receive him in order that he “also” might glory a little as well as his opponents. Paul admits that his pres ent manner o f speaking was not after the example the Lord had set (cf. Matt. 12:19, 20; Isa. 53:7), and it is an example we should be slow to imitate, but it was neces sitated by the exigencies o f the case. The truth for which Paul stood was being imperiled by the contempt his enemies were trying to excite toward him; therefore, he was forced to speak o f himself and his authority. But notice how carefully the Holy Spirit guards this and warns us o f the peril o f boasting. However great one’s gifts and education may be, and however well he may be prepared to speak on a subject because o f his peculiar gifts and education, we should always keep ourselves in the background unless it is very clear that the interests o f the truth demand that it be known how well' prepared we are to speak with authority fipon the subject in question. Monday, March 25 . 2 Cor. 1 1 : 18 - 23 . Paul’s reason for glorying at this time was that many (his enemies in Corinth) were glorying “after the flesh”, (i. e., in outward natural advantages). In verse 19 Paul indulges in a gentle bit o f irony: the Corinthians boasted above all things of their “wisdom.” Paul therefore says, “ I can be a bit. foolish; for ye bear with the foolish gladly, being (so) wise yourselves.” Then he turns to what they did actually bear with in those who opposed him in Corinth. These opposers o f Paul in Cor inth brought the Corinthians into bondage,
Paul refuses to now put himself in a position where any man could stop his “glorying in the regions o f Achaia (the province in which Corinth was).” This refusal, to put himself in a place where any man could stop his glorying in the regions o f Achaia was not because he did not love them. God who knoweth the hearts o f men knew that he did love them, but his object was to cut off all occasion from them that sought an occasion to misrepre sent his motives. He would see to it that wherein they boasted they might be found even as he. And now Paul speaks very plainly o f these opponents o f his in Cor inth. He calls them “ false apostles,” “ deceitful workers." No doubt the facts warranted this plain and vigorous language, and similar language would be warranted o f many who profess to be ministers o f Christ in our day. These “ false apostles” had “ fashioned themselves into apostles of Christ.” The fact that one pretends loyalty to Christ does not prove that he is not a false apostle. It is no wonder that these false apostles try to appear as if they were apostles o f Christ, for “even Satan” him self, who is, in real fact, the prince of darkness, “ fashioneth himself into an angel o f light.” The tense o f the verb translated “ fashioneth” in verse 14 expresses the thought that this transforming himself into an angel o f light on Satan’s part is Satan’s “habitual practice.” He is doing it every day. He brings in the most awful error under the guise o f truth. A striking illus tration o f this is found in “ Christian Science.” Satan has his ministers as well as Christ has His, and Satan’s ministers do not appear in their true colors ; they “ fash ion themselves as ministers o f righteous ness.” However, their real “ end shall be according to their works.” I Sunday, March 24 . 2 Cor. 1 1 : 16 , 17 . In the first verse o f the chapter Paul had agked them twice to bear with him “in a little foolishness.” Jn the sixteenth verse
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